Beneficial use of stainless steel EAF slag as composite cement admixture and its heavy metals leaching risk analysis

This study analyzes the feasibility of using stainless steel electric arc furnace （EAF） slag as composite cement admixture and the risk of leaching-out of heavy metals. The results show that the stainless steel EAF slag, mainly made up of Ca2 SiO4, Ca3 Mg （ SiO4 ） 2, some Cr-containing minerals and in small particle size, is easily ground and has cementitious activity. EAF slag, when used as cement admixture, can be added with a maximum percentage of 32%. It can meet the strength requirements of the standard P · C 32.5 cement. When the mixing percentage is decreased to 25 % , the strength of the cement can be increased to that of P · C 42.5 cement. Other main quality indexes of composite cement, such as the setting time and stability, also satisfy standard requirements. The results also show that most of the heavy metals in the stainless steel EAF slag exist in a stable speciation. The concentration of heavy metals that leach out from the stainless steel EAF slag and the composite cement products is far lower than the standard limit of hazardous wastes. The main heavy metal, chromium, exists as less hazardous trivalent chromium. Therefore, the risk of heavy metals leaching out from the stainless steel EAF slag is low. The internal exposure index （IRa） and the external exposure index （Iγ） of the stainless steel EAF slag are both lower than 1.0, satisfying the standard requirements of the state for the radionuclides of building materials. Therefore, stainless steel EAF slag can be safely used as admixture to produce composite cement.

Selection of appropriate organic additives for enhancing Zn and Cd phytoextraction by hyperaccumulators

Chelant-enhanced phytoextraction is one of the most promising technologies to remove heavy metals from soil. The key of the technology is to choose suitable additives in combination with a suitable plant. In the present study, laboratory batch experiment of metal solubilization, cress seeds germination were undertaken to investigate the metal-mobilizing capability and the phytotoxicity of organic additives, including ethylene diamine triacetic acid （EDTA）, citric acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid, glutamine and monosodium glutamate waste liquid （MGWL） from food industry. Experiments in pots were carried out to study the effects of the additives on Zn and Cd phytoextraction. Furthermore, a leaching experiment with lysimeter was performed to evaluate the environmental risks of additive-induced leaching to underground water. The results showed that EDTA had a strong mobilizing ability for Zn and Cd, followed by mixed reagent （MR） and MGWL. MGWL and acetic acid at 5 mmol equivalent per liter resulted in seed germination index less than 2%. Experiments in pots verified the phytotoxicity of acetic acid and MGWL. Addition of the mixed reagent at 6--10 mmol/kg significantly increased Zn phytoextraction by Thlaspi caerulescens. The same for EDTA and the mixed reagent at 10 mmol/kg by Sedum dfredii. But only mixed reagents could significantly increase Cd phytoextraction by the studied hyperaccumulators. This suggested that the strong chelant was not always the good agent to enhance phytoextraction. S. alfredii combined with 2--10 mmol/kg soil MR was preferred for phytoremediation of Cd/Zn contaminated soils in southern China, this could result in high phytoextraction of Cd/Zn and reduce the leaching risk to underground water than EDTA assisted phytoextration.

Influence of pyrolysis temperature on rice straw biochar properties and corresponding effects on dynamic changes in bispyribac-sodium adsorption and leaching behavior in soil

Bispyribac-sodium is a weakly acidic herbicide with high water solubility and is thus a potential source of groundwater contamination.Considering the risk inherent to the use of this herbicide,this study assessed the impacts of rice straw(RS)and biochar amendments on the adsorption and leaching behavior of bispyribac-sodium in soil.Biochars were produced from RS at different pyrolysis temperatures and characterized using various spectral techniques.Rice straw had a surface area of 3.996×10^(4)m^(2)kg^(-1),which increased under pyrolysis;biochars prepared at 350 and 550℃(RS350 and RS550)in a closed furnace with limited oxygen supply had a surface area of 5.763×10^(4)and 6.890×10^(4)m^(2)kg^(-1),respectively,and biochar prepared by purging the pyroformer with N2(RSC)had the highest surface area of 12.173×10^(4)m^(2)kg^(-1).After amendment with RS and biochar,soil Freundlich adsorption capacity(KF ads)increased to varying extents in the order RSC>RS350>RS550,from 2.89×10^(3)to 29.57×10^(3)mg^(1-1)/nkg^(-1)L1/n,compared to1.55×10^(3)mg^(1-1)/nkg^(-1)L1/nin unamended soil.The variability in KF ads of bispyribac-sodium amongst the RS-and biochar-amended soils was dependent on the surface area of the amendments.The desorption of bispyribac-sodium decreased in the RS-and biochar-amended soils and varied from90.45%to 95.20%in unamended soils and from 60.95%to 89.50%in amended soils.The adsorption and desorption of bispyribac-sodium varied significantly depending on its concentration and the type and application rate of soil amendment.Different leaching risk evaluation indices,viz.,modified leach index(M.LEACH),leach index(LEACH),groundwater ubiquity score(GUS),Hornsby index(HI),leaching index(LIN),and pesticide leaching potential(PLP)index,were used to assess the susceptibility of groundwater to herbicide leaching.To reduce the repetitive effects of common parameters in each index,a new index was developed by employing principal component analysis(PCA)to condense their information into a single ranking.The results of the PCA indicated that RS and biochar amendments could be an effective management practice for controlling the leaching potential of bispyribac-sodium in soil.

Sorption and Leaching Potential of Isoproturon and Atrazine in Low Organic Carbon Soil of Pakistan Under a Wheat-Maize Rotation

Pesticide leaching is a great threat in low organic carbon soils when subjected to improper irrigation scheduling.Limited data are available on the sorption and leaching potential of pesticides in agricultural soils of Pakistan with low soil organic carbon(SOC).Lysimeter and field studies were conducted with and without manure application at two irrigation levels in a wheat-fallowmaize rotation in Faisalabad,Punjab,Pakistan.Isoproturon was applied to wheat 55 d after sowing at 1 kg active ingredient(a.i.)ha^(-1),while atrazine was sprayed on maize 30 d after sowing at 0.774 kg a.i.ha^(-1).Soil was sampled from three depths(0-35,35-70,and 70-110 cm) for the field study and four depths(0-35,35-70,70-115,and 115-160 cm) for the lysimeter study,280 and 65 d after application of isoproturon and atrazine,respectively.The soil-water partition coefficients(K_d) of isoproturon and atrazine ranged from 0.3 to 1.2 and 0.4 to 1.5 L kg^(-1),respectively,and increased linearly with increase in SOC contents.The organic carbon-normalized soil-water partition coefficient(K_(oc)) of isoproturon and atrazine averaged 246.1 and 184.9 L kg^(-1),respectively,being higher with low spiking concentration.Isoproturon residues measured 280 d after application ranged from 2.1% to 3.6% of the applied mass in the lysimeter study and from 1.5% to 3.1% under field conditions.Atrazine residues 65 d after application ranged from only 0.62% to 0.78% and from 0.88% to 0.82% in the lysimeter and field studies,respectively.The lowest levels of residues for both pesticides were observed with frequent irrigation applied to manure-amended soil.A pesticide leaching risk screening tool,the ground water ubiquity score(GUS),indicated that in the absence of manure under both irrigation levels,isoproturon has a leaching potential(GUS = 2.8),while with the application of manure it has a very low leaching risk.Atrazine GUS ranged from 1.7 to 1.9,indicating a very low risk of leaching.

Lead toxicity thresholds in 17 Chinese soils based on substrate-induced nitrification assay

The influence of soil properties on toxicity threshold values for Pb toward soil microbial processes is poorly recognized. The impact of leaching on the Pb threshold has not been assessed systematically. Lead toxicity was screened in 17 Chinese soils using a substrate-induced nitrification（SIN） assay under both leached and unleached conditions.The effective concentration of added Pb causing 50% inhibition（EC50） ranged from 185 to〉 2515 mg/kg soil for leached soil and 130 to 〉 2490 mg/kg soil for unleached soil. These results represented 〉 13- and 〉 19-fold variations among leached and unleached soils,respectively. Leaching significantly reduced Pb toxicity for 70% of both alkaline and acidic soils tested, with an average leaching factor of 3.0. Soil p H and CEC were the two most useful predictors of Pb toxicity in soils, explaining over 90% of variance in the unleached EC50 value. The relationships established in the present study predicted Pb toxicity within a factor of two of measured values. These relationships between Pb toxicity and soil properties could be used to establish site-specific guidance on Pb toxicity thresholds.